Psycholinguistics - MA

The MA in Psycholinguistics will provide you with a general background in psycholinguistics while giving you a practical training in the techniques and methodologies associated with the field of study. You will have the opportunity to develop your interest in areas such as bilingualism, syntactic processing in special populations and early phonetic and phonological development.

Overview

The MA in Psycholinguistics will:
-Impart a general foundation and background in psycholinguistics
-Give you a practical training in techniques used in psycholinguistics, including statistical methods
-Enable you to apply your skills and knowledge to linguistic data
-Introduce you to research questions and methodologies in psycholinguistics
-Enable you to perform original research in psycholinguistics

Course structure

Autumn Term
There are two different routes in the Autumn Term, depending on your prior background. Students with no prior background in Linguistics or Psycholinguistics take the modules in Route A, below. Students who already have some background in these subjects take Route B. We will help you to determine which route you should take, when you apply.

Route A
-Quantitative methods (10 credits)
-Language acquisition (10 credits)
-Psycholinguistics (10 credits)
-Syntax (10 credits) OR Phonetics and phonology (10 credits)

Route B
-Quantitative methods (10 credits)
AND 30 further credits from among the modules below and the modules in Route A:
-Advanced comparative syntactic or semantic typology (20 credits)
-Advanced phonology (10 credits)
-Advanced phonetics (10 credits)
-Emergence of structure from use (10 credits)
-Phonological development (20 credits)
-Directed readings in phonological development (10 credits)

Spring Term
In the Spring Term you will take two 20-credit modules from a range of options. Options may include:
-Topics in phonological development (20 credits)
-Bilingualism (20 credits)
-Learning mechanisms (20 credits)
-Second language phonology (20 credits)
-Second language syntax (20 credits)
-Psycholinguistic approaches to second language acquisition (20 credits)

Note that module offerings may vary from year to year. Not every module is offered every year.

Spring and Summer Terms
-Key ideas in linguistics (20 credits)

Summer Term and Summer vacation
-Dissertation (60 credits)

All terms
-Research training seminar (20 credits)

You should normally hold or expect to receive at least a 2:1 or equivalent in your first degree.